- Raila said the move by Wetang'ula to appeal the Housing Levy ruling was unfortune.
- But Wetang'ula challenged Raila to get his facts right about the matter.
Image: HANDOUT
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has faulted National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula's decision to appeal the Court of Appeal ruling against the Housing Levy.
Raila said on Sunday that the decision by Wetang'ula to move to the Supreme Court is irregular as he oversaw the passage of the Housing Levy as speaker of the National Assembly.
''Moses Wetang'ula does not deserve to be speaker of the National Assembly," Raila said on Sunday.
Speaking when he led an ODM membership recruitment drive in Nairobi's Kamkunji Grounds, Raila said the move by Wetang'ula was unfortunate.
"The law emanated from Parliament and President Ruto signed it into law, now that some people have gone to court, the Speaker, all over the world has no authority to move to court," Raila said.
According to Raila, the speaker can only move to court after consulting MPs who have employed him.
"If you are the speaker and have passed a law, your work ends there, whatever that is remaining is for the executive and the judiciary,'' Raila said.
But in a swift rejoinder, Wetang'ula termed Raila's remarks ''ignoramus per excellence''.
''Get the facts right before such ignominious outbursts! Misplaced, misdirected & unhelpful anger,'' Wetang'ula told Raila on his X account.
Last week, Wetang'ula filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court over the Housing Levy.
In the notice, Wetang'ula and the National Assembly stated that they will be appealing against the whole ruling rendered by Justices Lydia Achode, John Mativo and Mwaniki Gachoka on January 26.
"The national assembly and the speaker of national assembly being dissatisfied with the decision of the court of appeal intend to appeal to the Supreme Court against the whole ruling," reads the notice
On January 26, the government suffered a major setback after the Court of Appeal declined to suspend orders barring the state from deducting housing levy from Kenyans.
The housing levy therefore remained suspended as declared by the High Court.
The appellate Judges said if they affirm the constitutional invalidity of the challenged laws, then some far-reaching decisions that would have been undertaken may not be reversed.
They said it is in the public interest that the appeals first be heard.
Last week, ODM distanced themselves from the appeal by Wetang'ula.
In a statement on Wednesday, the party said its Parliamentary Group is not part of the appeal seeking to overturn the Appellate Court's decision that the levy is unconstitutional.
The appeal was filed jointly by the National Assembly and the Senate through the Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula.
"It should go on record that the ODM Parliamentary Group and by extension the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Parliamentary Group is not party to the appeal in the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the Court of Appeal's ruling on the Housing Levy. We stand with the people of Kenya on this matter," ODM said.